2021 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE – SEASON 3, MATCH 3
- Thursday, September 2 – Friday, September 3
- 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST (7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Local Time)
- Piscina Felice Scandone, Naples, Italy
- Short Course Meters (25m – SCM) Format
- ISL Season 3 Schedules, Start Times, and More
- Teams Competing: Energy Standard, London Roar, Iron, NY Breakers
- Omega Live Results
- Match 3 Preview
- Day 1 Recap
- Day 2 Preview
- Day 2 Start Lists
Marco Orsi blasted a new Italian Record in the men’s 50 butterfly during Match 3 of the International Swimming League’s (ISL) 2021 season, doing so in the opening round of the skins event, no less.
Orsi clocked a time of 22.50, touching second to Brazilian Nicholas Santos, to lower the previous National Record of 22.63, set by Thomas Ceccon earlier this year.
Orsi, who represents Team Iron along with Santos, didn’t even race the 50 fly individually during the match, though his time from the skins would’ve finished third overall and scored six points.
The 30-year-old entered the meet with a personal best time of 22.87, set in November 2018, and had also broken 23 seconds once during Season 2 of the ISL in Budapest last year (22.95 in Match 9).
After Orsi’s record performance, he advanced into Round 2, where he finished fourth in a time of 24.43 and thus out of the final.
His teammate Santos paced the field through the second round in 23.38 (after an opening 22.16), but fell to London’s Vini Lanza in the head-to-head final, 24.14 to 24.69.
Orsi ultimately put seven points on the board for Iron from his skins performance, and finished with 20.5 total points for the match. In addition to the skins, the Italian also won the men’s 100 IM (51.66), was the runner-up in the 50 freestyle (21.26) and split 46.89 on the Iron men’s 4×100 free relay that finished sixth.
Iron ended up leading all clubs with 38 points scored from the men’s fly skins, finishing third for the match as a whole with 405.5 points. Energy Standard (640.5) finished first, giving them two wins early on this season, while the London Roar (436.5) were the runners-up in their Season 3 debut.
Ever since Santo Condorelli switched to the Italian Swimming Federation, I’ve been following what Italy does internationally. For Marco Orsi to turn in such an impressive performance — at the age of 30 — is just amazing!